Dry cell sealing device



Oct. 13,1931.

w. T. BIRDSALL DRY CELL SEALING DEVICE Filed April 27, 1925 Patented 13, 1931 UNITED TATE WILFRED BIRDSALL, OF MONTCLAIR, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR, IBY MESNE ASSIGN- PATENT OFFICE .MENTS, '1'0 NATIONAL CARBON COMPANY, INC., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORA- 'IION OF NEW YORK DRYYYGELL SEALING DEVICE Application filed April 27, 1925. Serial No. 26,027.

This invention relates to improvements in dry cell manufacture,-and more particularly to a new and improved arrangement for sealing dry cells. In accordance with the present invention the flow of molten pitchor the like on top. of the dry cell mixture .is-controlled by means of a gear pump, whereby the flow may be more accurately controlled than is possible lowith valve arrangements. The main objec-. 7

tion to valve arrangements is that even after. the valve is closed, the viscous pitch Wlll continue to drip from the nozzle onto the platform on which the dry cells are positioned.

' 16 This is overcome inaccordance with the pr sent invention by? operating. the gear pu p first in one directionto permit the flow of a; predetermined amount of pitch through a nozzle onto the dry cell mixture, and then in the opposite direction for holdin back by suction the pitch still in the nozzle rom dropping on the platform.

The invention is schematically illustrated in thedrawing in which a plurality of drycells 1,2, 3 are mounted on a platform 4 which is moved-below an annular nozzle 5 through which'pitch' may flow fromareservoir 6 suitably heated; e. g., by steam or hot-oil flowing through a jacket 7. The gear pump consists 9. By rotating the cogwhee s .away from each other, i. e., cog8 in a clockwise and cog 9 I in a counter-clockwise direction, depending on thenumber of revolutions performed by the wheels, a definite quantity of pitch will be permitted to flow from the reservoir through the nozzle 5. This pitch will fill up the annular space between the top of a zinc electrode 10 and a central carbon electrode 11 of a dry cell. The annular space in the cell is slightly wider than the nozzle. When the sealing space in the dry cell is filled, the cog-wheels 8 and 9 are rotated in the opposite direction, i. e., towards each other, which will prevent 5 from dropping downon the platform 4. .The operation of the gear pump should be,

i of course, timed with the moving of the belt prevent it leaving the nozzle-only while said 4. The belt is movedin successive stages so as to maintain a' dry cell centered below the essentially of intermeshing co 'wheels 8 and the pitch clinging tothe walls ofjthe nozzle nozzle for a predetermined length of time,

sufficient to deposit the sealing material. While the belt is moving dry cell 2 away from under the nozzle and until dry cell 1 arrives under the nozzle, the gear pump isoperated in the opposite direction to prevent dripping. This is accomplished by means of a transmission. 12 driven by a motor 13 and adapted through any well known form of .gearin to advance the cells and operate the 1 pump intermittently in forward and reversed directions.

H Obviously,'the invention is capable of variolis modifications :and embodiments whichwill readilyv suggest themselves to those skilled inthe art. For the sake of clearness the'spout of nozzle 5 is illustrated in the drawing as being of a relatively large diameter. In practice, thisspout should be small, good results having been obtained with a spout of a diameter of of an inch. With a small spout the surface tension will allow the sealing fluid to arch across the bore of the spout without dripping. When the pump is reversed so-as to draw the pitch away from the bore of the spout, the pitch clinging to the walls of the nozzle will drip in time, the reversal of the pump serving to .draw the pitch into the bore of the spout. A. further advantage of using a small spout is that it assists in causing the viscous sealing material to spread itself evenly around be filled high without overflowing "at one spot.

. WhatIclaimis:

1. In a device for sealing dry cells having 'material in saidnozZle only while said dry cell is stationary, and to rotate in the opposite-direction to apply suction to said'inaterial-to dry cell is in motion.

the top of the cell, which allows the seal to 2. In a device for sealing dry cells, a conduit for sealing material leading towards the dry cells and having a bore so small that surface tension will allow the material to arch across the bore Without dripping, a gear pump for controlling the flow of said material through said passageway, means for operating said pump for forcing said material from said conduit and reversing the operation of said pump so as to create a vacuum, in synchronism with the movement of the dry cells past said conduit.

3. In a device for sealing dry cells, a vertical pipe for conducting viscous fluid sealing material, a gear pump positioned intermediate rhe ends of said pipe for controlling the flow of sealing material in said pipe When the cell is stationary, and means for operating said pump for forcing said material from said conduit and reversing the operation of said pump so as to create a suction on the material in the lower end of the pipe, during movement of the dry cells.

4. The method of applying sealing material to dry cells Which comprises storing a quantity of said material in a heating chamber, ejecting material from said container to dry cells at intervals, and confining the discharge to such a small dimension that the heated material is prevented from dripping, between said intervals, by its own surface tension.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this 23rd day of April, 1925.

WILFRED T. BIRDSALL. 

